


Wine and Spirits (2006)

by JennyB



Category: Yami No Matsuei
Genre: Angst, Community: 60_minute_fics, Dark, Denial of Feelings, Jealousy, Love/Hate, M/M, Torture, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-31
Updated: 2006-10-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:43:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsuzuki and Hisoka are sent to investigate some mysterious occurrences at a world renowned winery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wine and Spirits (2006)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LJ community 60_minute_fics.
> 
> This was an Urban Legend challenge, and the legend I had to write was [Vat A Way To Go](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/cannibal/worker.asp). This fic, of course, is an adaptation of that legend. ♥

“What?” The word was flat, emotionless, the acid-green eyes lacking all expression. “You’re sending us where, to investigate _what_?” The teen rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently. “Great. Just what I want is to keep an eye on that booze hound, and at a winery no less.”

Beside Hisoka, Tsuzuki was beside himself with joy. “Oh boy! A whole _week_ at _’L'Ange Noire’_! Did you know that the attached chalet-slash-resort is all-inclusive, and that the chefs are _world renowned_ for their cuisine? The head chef has won countless awards, and the sauciers and pastry chefs are young up and comings? Oh…can you imagine it? A nice, dry merlot as you dig into a sharp cheddar soufflé, or a crisp chardonnay with a lush crème brulée?”

“Idiot,” Hisoka murmured under his breath as Konoe glared at the brunet.

“Tsuzuki, this isn’t a vacation, you pathetic slacker! You and Hisoka are going to Furano to work, not for any other reason. Although, I do expect you to bring back souvenirs. Some of that award-winning Chianti, perhaps?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out some cash and held it out for the brunet. After a moment, the older man seemed to have a change of heart, and handed it to Hisoka instead. “Now, if you’re quite done fooling around, can we finish this briefing? Unless of course, you’d rather I send one of the Gushoshin brothers or Watari with Hisoka…”

Even though it was an empty threat, Tsuzuki’s eyes widened, and he fell silent in his chair, sitting properly upright, his gaze riveted to Tatsumi, who was preparing his slides. “Yes, Sir, Konoe-san! You know that I’m your man. I’ll solve this case in no time. You can count on me!” He ignored Hisoka’s disdainful snort, and smiling at his former partner, he said, “Well, let’s hear it, Tatsumi.”

The blue-eyed brunet couldn’t help but smirk at Tsuzuki for a moment before his expression once more turned serious and he cleared his throat as he picked up his notes. “It’s the strangest thing,” he began, putting the first slide up. “At first, we figured it was a simple case of someone abducting people, and we were content to leave it to the local police to handle. There have been five workers go missing from the grounds in as many months; they seem to disappear from their rooms without a trace, and without any sign of a struggle. However, that all changed when the first man turned up dead just the other evening. His body contained no blood whatsoever, but there were no marks on the body at all. No puncture wounds, no scrapes or cuts, no discernible way for the blood to have been taken out.” He paused for dramatic effect, his deep, cobalt eyes scanning the other men in the room. “The only injuries, if you could really call it that, were a small, one-inch round bruise on the man’s chest and another, larger bruise on his hip.” Turning off the projector, Tatsumi adjusted his glasses, and then in a grim voice, he added, “We believe that the other four are already dead, and if they’re not, then they are likely close to it. Until we find another body, we won’t know for certain if these bruises are coincidence, or if they’re just, well, random injuries. I know it’s not much to go on, but go see what you can find out. And Tsuzuki, make sure you report in regularly, ne?” The blue-eyed brunet smiled, but there was a slight warning note in his tone.

Tsuzuki managed to avoid rolling his eyes at the other, but he did let out an exasperated huff. “Come on, Tatsumi. You know I’m usually good about paperwork and stuff like that. I forgot _once_. Are you going to remind me of that for the rest of eternity?”

“Probably.” Tatsumi chuckled softly when the other male simply scowled petulantly. “And do try not to destroy the place either. It’s something we’d kind of like to keep around for a while, ok?”

“You done?” Tsuzuki demanded, now more eager than ever to get going – even though he could already tell that Hisoka was going to be a pill about the whole thing.

“I’m finished,” Tatsumi replied. “Oh, and Tsuzuki, if you could see your way to do so, please bring me back a case of the merlot. It’s wonderful.”

“Yeah, I’ll bring you your damned merlot,” the violet-eyed man muttered under his breath as he got out of his chair. “Cheapskate doesn’t even give me any cash – but if he thinks I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart, he’s got another think coming.” Still mumbling to himself, he signed for the cash advance, blanching at the miniscule amount. “Tatsumi! God, you’re such a cheap ass!” he groused as he pocketed the money. “Would it kill you to spare a few extra dollars?”

“Make do,” Tatsumi replied evenly. “As you pointed out, the resort is all-inclusive, and you’ve been extended a luxury by being permitted to stay on the grounds at all. What else do you need money for?”

Tsuzuki gaped at him, unable to think of anything to say in response. He pointed exasperatedly at the other, and was about to give him a piece of his mind, when Hisoka grabbed him by the back of his jacket and dragged him from the room.

“We’ll meet at the resort at 5:30. Don’t be late, baka.” Releasing his hold on the other, Hisoka jammed his hands in his pockets and strolled off towards his home to pick up his things for their trip.

* * *

Tsuzuki whistled lowly, obviously impressed as he stared up at the impressive stone chalet. "We sure lucked out this time, ne Hisoka?" he asked with a smile, trying to start the mission off on a positive note.

"Yeah, if hanging around a creepy, old castle and drinking wine all day is your idea of a good time."

"Oh good. I'm glad to see that you're going to be Mr. Sunshine for the next week," Tsuzuki replied petulantly. "Look, I know this isn't exactly your scene, but would it kill you to at least _try_ to enjoy it?"

"I'm not going to pretend, Tsuzuki. That's not what I do."

The brunet clenched his teeth, and forced a smile to his face. "You're so cute when you're acting like a spoiled brat," he replied with mock sweetness. "I'll tell you what; don't act like a child here, and we'll do whatever you want to when we get back to Meifu."

"Oh, _can_ we?" Hisoka replied, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Damn it, I'm not six, I'm sixteen. That crap doesn't work on me. But, whatever; you want to do this mission, fine. Just don't expect me to be happy about it."

_'I've learned to never expect you to be happy,"_ Tsuzuki thought. He pinked in embarrassment when Hisoka turned around rather abruptly and narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, then don't listen to my thoughts. It's rude."

"Can't help it; you're so loud and boorish."

"Yeah, well..." The brunet trailed off lamely. He had no idea what he'd done that Hisoka was so pissy with him as of late, and he hoped it would pass quickly. The last few missions they'd done had been rather unpleasant, to say the least.

"Trouble in paradise?" a very familiar voice purred, the tone sending a shiver down Tsuzuki's spine, and draining all the colour from Hisoka's face. "And here I'd thought you two were allegedly a match made in heaven – well, in Meifu, at least."

"Muraki!" Tsuzuki hissed as he whirled around to face the tall, pale doctor. "What the hell are you doing here?" His eyes were narrowed into slits as he glowered at the other.

"Now, now. We're all friends here, aren't we?" Muraki purred as he closed the distance between the two Shinigami and himself. "Besides, I might ask you the same question, Tsuzuki-san," he replied with a slick smile, showing off his even, white teeth.

"Like hell," Hisoka muttered under his breath, gasping softly and looking swiftly away when the doctor's silver eyes shifted momentarily to him, that shark-like grin widening ever so slightly. "Come on, Tsuzuki; let's go."

"Hn...it would seem like we have some unresolved questions, don't we, Tsuzuki-san. Just like the boy and I have some unresolved _business_." He chuckled darkly when Hisoka visibly winced at the comment. "But, as a show of good faith, I'll indulge you, and hope that you'll afford me the same courtesy, yes?" He took another step toward the brunet, half putting his back to Hisoka and essentially cutting him off from the conversation. "You see, I'm here because I decided that I needed some sort of a hobby. Something to fill my time outside of work. As they say, idle hands are the devil's playground." He smirked at that, and then continued. "Anyway, having some money to invest, I decided that being a part owner in a winery would be an interesting endeavour, and here I am. And might I say, I made a rather excellent choice – business has been booming since I took an interest in the winery."

"Oh, bullshit!" Hisoka blurted out, blustering on over top of Tsuzuki's hissed chastisement. "You just happen to take an interest in wine when a bunch of people start turning up dead. That's convenient."

Muraki held up a hand in a gesture of silence. "Children should be seen and not heard. The adults are talking now," he sneered, not even bothering to look at the other. "It's quite unfortunate about those five men, but when one is in business, it just doesn't make good economic sense to kill the staff off indiscriminately."

“Come on, Tsuzuki…let’s get out of here,” Hisoka murmured as he chanced a glance up at the doctor, tugging rather insistently on the brunet’s sleeve.

“If you find a babysitter for your companion, and find that you would like a personal, private tour of the facility, do let me know, Tsuzuki-san. I shall be in the area for the next couple of hours.” With a chilling smile, Muraki bowed graciously and took his leave, moving off to converse with a few other patrons, and then finally managing to slip from sight.

Hisoka shuddered, and finally managed to pull his partner away from the area so that they could check into their rooms. “God, I hate that guy,” he muttered. “And how stupid does he think we are?” The sandy-haired teen continued to complain rather vocally all the way up the stairs to their room, and for a good ten minutes afterwards as they unpacked their things. Finally, he fell silent when he saw Tsuzuki standing beside the dresser, an armful of clothes in his hands, and staring unseeingly into space. “Oh no!” Hisoka said with a derisive snort. “Don’t even tell me that you’re thinking of taking him up on his offer. You’re crazy if you do.”

Blinking rapidly, Tsuzuki fell out of his stupor and shifted his amethyst gaze to the other male. “Come on, Hisoka. You can’t deny that having a tour of the facility would be an excellent opportunity to check things out and see if there really is something shady going on.”

The teen rolled his eyes and snorted. “Are you even listening to yourself? You’re so _infatuated_ with him that you come up with the lamest excuses to go see him. Yeah, Tsuzuki. Like he’s going to take you down to the basement and say, ‘Hey, look…this is where I’ve been murdering people, and here’s how I do it.’ Get real.”

The brunet blushed deeply at that, a small scowl curving down his lips. “I am not infatuated –“

“You forget who you’re talking to, Tsuzuki,” Hisoka interrupted with a smirk. “Deny all you want. You’re only fooling yourself.” He frowned. He hated the idea that Muraki had so easily captured Tsuzuki’s heart. And he hated Muraki. So it was only natural that he hated the whole situation. He wasn’t jealous – at least, that was what he told himself. He didn’t care for the brunet at all like that; he just looked out for him like a good partner should. Nothing more. And, sending his partner into the hands of a psychotic doctor just didn’t seem like a good idea, irregardless of the reason. “I won’t let you go.”

“What?” Tsuzuki was too stunned by the statement to be angry. It didn’t take long for his ire to catch up to him though. “What the hell do you mean by that? You’re not my mother!”

“No, but we are partners. And if you knowingly put yourself in danger, you giant baka, then I’m going to Konoe and reporting you.” Hisoka saw the flash of irritation in the deep, purple eyes, but he stood his ground, his entire expression one of defiance.

Tsuzuki stared at him for several moments in obvious disbelief, his own emotions oscillating between pissed off and incredulous. Finally, with a growled, “Then report me,” he grabbed his coat and furiously jammed his arms into the sleeves. “Look, I don’t know what the hell is bothering you, but if it will make you happy to act like a spoiled brat, go right ahead. I’m going to do some investigating. Whether you like it or not.” Not looking at the other, he strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Hisoka watched the retreating form for a moment, his eyes wide. Then, he sank down to the floor, wrapping his arms around him and trembling as he rode out the emotional onslaught he’d received from the other.

* * *

Tsuzuki sighed heavily and nodded to the bartender to fill his glass once more. As soon as he’d reached the lobby, he felt bad about the way he and Hisoka had parted company and, his guilt overtaking him, he’d foregone his initial plan to search for clues and had instead wandered into the bar to drown his sorrows. He nodded his thanks to the other, and then drank deeply. He did have to admit, the wine was exceptional – better than anything he’d ever tasted in his life. It was not too dry, and it had a rather pleasant bouquet. Idly, he wondered if the bartender would just leave a bottle for him. “Damn him,” he muttered under his breath as he thought again about Hisoka. The kid sure knew how to suck the fun out of everything…

“Were you referring to me, or did I finally manage to stay in your good graces?” Muraki practically purred in Tsuzuki’s ear, his breath ghosting teasingly across the lobe and washing onto his neck.

“M-Muraki!” Tsuzuki gasped, jumping slightly in shock and cursing himself for the stutter. Turning to the other, he met the impassive silver eyes, finding himself lost in them and unable to look away. “What –“

“I was so disappointed when you didn’t come to see me, Tsuzuki-san,” Muraki stated, gently cutting the other off. “Does the boy really hold that much sway over your decisions? And here I thought that since you were the older and more experienced of the two, you would be the one calling the shots.” A slow smile spread across his features.

The brunet growled slightly at that. “It’s not like that at all. It’s that you can’t be trusted. Every time you’re around, something bad happens. And you’ll be hard pressed to convince me otherwise. You’ve fooled me before.” He thought back to their time aboard the _Queen Camillia._

“Hn…I suppose that sort of thinking would make one wary, wouldn’t it?” the doctor replied with a smirk, and then nodded to the bartender. “Join me for a drink, then?” he asked as he was handed a bottle. “We have so much catching up to do.” Not waiting for the other’s reply, he picked up Tsuzuki’s wine glass and carried both it and the bottle through a small, unobtrusive door alongside the bar and into a private sitting room. He took a sniff of the liquid. “Ah…the shiraz. A good choice – if one is not familiar with our more exclusive vintages.” He motioned the other to sit in one of the comfortable leather club chairs as he crossed the room to where a small bar sat. Deftly, he poured the wine down the sink and set the empty glass aside. He picked up the sommelier’s knife and slit the foil on the bottle, and then expertly pulled the cork. “It only needs to breathe for a moment or two before pouring,” he explained when he made no move. “In the meantime, tell me, what do you think about this nasty business that has been plaguing the vineyard? You always have the most interesting theories about things…”

The brunet said nothing for a few moments, having fallen into staring at the pale man and watching his fluid, graceful movements. Suddenly, he realized that the other had been speaking, and giving his head a shake, he said, “What? Oh, um…” Clearing his throat, he forced his tone to be indifferent, cold, almost accusatory. “We don’t really have a lot of information. The cause of death is most puzzling.”

“Yes,” Muraki replied with a smug smile. “Completely drained of blood, with no explanation for how it was done. Quite curious, isn’t it?” He poured two glasses, and then picked the goblets up in one hand and the bottle in the other. “Oh well; I’m sure that you’ll be the one to solve it. You are quite good at figuring out these little conundrums, aren’t you?” He sat down in the chair next to Tsuzuki and passed him a glass. “Here, try the merlot. This particular vintage is internationally renowned and has won numerous awards.” He leaned back in his chair as he took a sip, his eyes never leaving Tsuzuki.

Nervously, the brunet accepted the drink, raising the glass to his lips but not drinking it. “How do I know you didn’t do something to it?” he asked.

“Such as?” Muraki asked in obvious amusement. “You watched me open the bottle yourself.”

“Well, you could have put something in the glass.”

“Paranoid, aren’t you?” the doctor remarked with a soft chuckle. “Would you care to switch glasses then? If it will make you feel better, I don’t mind.”

Tsuzuki studied the other for a few moments in silence. Finally, he shook his head. If there was any sort of poison in the drink, at worst, it would make him feel a little sick as his body metabolized it. Slightly unnerved by the fact that the other male was still staring at him, he dropped his gaze and took a tentative sip of the wine. His eyebrows arched in obvious surprise and he made a pleased sound. “This is wonderful!” he exclaimed delightedly. “I mean, the other one was good, too, but this…I can’t even describe it.”

The doctor smiled. “I’m glad you like it. It has a rather unique fermentation process – something I can guarantee no other winery employs.”

“Well, whatever it is, don’t stop doing it,” Tsuzuki replied as he licked his lips, savouring the incredible flavour. He glanced down at his now-empty glass, and smiled sheepishly up at Muraki, his cheeks slightly flushed – and not entirely from the alcohol.

Wordlessly, the doctor got up and retrieved the bottle, refilling the brunet’s glass. “Most people have a similar reaction when they taste it, too. It’s quite pleasing to see that the product is so well received.”

“Well, I guess I should get back,” Tsuzuki said as he drained his glass and got to his feet. He wobbled a little, noticeably tipsy.

“To do what?” Muraki asked with a pert smirk. “Entertain the boy?”

Tsuzuki frowned. He could already hear Hisoka lecturing him for being a lush, and a drunk, and about the follies of overindulging. Although, he didn’t really feel intoxicated until he’d had Muraki’s wine. Giving his head a small shake, he chalked it up to coincidence – although that was always a dangerous move as far as the doctor was concerned. “He’s my partner, and we have to decide on how we’re going to proceed with this case.

Muraki scowled. “If you must. Do mind where you poke about, though. Despite the relaxation and diversion this provides, it is still a hazardous industry.” Giving the brunet a nod, he bade him good evening, adding almost lazily over his shoulder, “Do feel free to indulge in the remainder of this bottle, should you wish to.”

The brunet nodded politely in return, waiting until the doctor had left before reaching out and grabbing the bottle. It took him less than fifteen minutes to polish it off.

* * *

As Tsuzuki had predicted, Hisoka had been less than impressed with him when he’d finally come back to the room, obviously inebriated. And the next morning, when he had learned with whom the brunet had shared a drink, he had been livid. “God! I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it! I thought you’d have had a rational thought and –“ He had trailed off at that point, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Do you want to get yourself killed?”

“Hisoka, I didn’t plan on it. I was sitting at the bar, and he approached me. We didn’t go anywhere but there. I swear it.”

“Yeah, like I believe that,” the teen had replied petulantly. “Well, I hope you’re not hung over, because if you are, that’s too bad. We’ve got work to do. Now get up and get ready.”

Muttering to himself, Tsuzuki had hauled himself out of bed, only feeling a little nauseous. Breakfast would fix that right up – provided Hisoka didn’t immediately drag him away to do something else. Once he was dressed, the brunet had been quite insistent about stopping to get something to eat. And now, as he placed his order, he asked the waiter for a glass of merlot.

“You’re drinking wine for breakfast?” Hisoka hissed. “Did you ever think that maybe you’ve got a bit of a problem?”

Tsuzuki didn’t reply, rather he thanked their server when the glass was dropped off. He took a sip, and then frowned. “Excuse me,” he called out to the other man.

“Is there something wrong with the wine, Sir?” the waiter asked.

“Is this the merlot?” His frown deepened when he saw the waiter nod. “Funny. It doesn’t taste the same as last night. This is the one that won all the awards?”

“Oh. You want _that_ one. Um…” He paused, worrying his lip as if contemplating how to break the news to the other. “The resort only includes its house wines with the packages. If you want _Le Rénard D’Argent_ , which is a premium vintage, you’ll have to pay for it separately.”

“No problem. How much is it?” Tsuzuki asked congenially, thinking of the allowance Tatsumi had given him.

“It’s 5000 yen.”

The brunet smiled. “That’s not too much for a premium bottle. I’ll have it.”

“No Sir…that’s per _glass_.”

Tsuzuki blanched at that. _’Damn,’_ he thought to himself. _’Tatsumi would **kill** me…_ ’ He smiled weakly up at the waiter. “Thanks; I’ll stick with this.” He sipped at the glass, ignoring the piercing glare from Hisoka. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he tried to ignore the sandy-haired teen, and when he saw the other straighten his posture, as he so often did when he was getting ready to lecture, the brunet cut him off before he could get a word in edgewise. "Hisoka, that's enough. You've done nothing but complain and bitch since we got here. Let me give you some advice. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all! Not everyone follows your ideals, ok? So, suck it up and deal with it, or go do your own thing, and we'll discuss our notes at dinner. Those are your options. Pick one."

"Get bent, Tsuzuki." Hisoka's green eyes were blazing with an irrational fury, the emotion an amplification of both his and the other man's irritation. "Maybe if you could think with your brain for five seconds instead of your stomach or your _dick_ , we'd actually be getting somewhere on this case and be home by now!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tsuzuki demanded, his voice now an angry hiss.

"Oh come on! Before we even got here, you did nothing but talk about the food and the wine, and then you rush off to go see Muraki! You know how I feel about him, and you _still_ go to him!"

Tsuzuki glanced around briefly before fixing his gaze back on Hisoka and scowling. "So…that's the true heart of the matter. You're in a foul mood because I was talking to Muraki. Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, and I'm truly sorry for the things he did to you, but the fact of the matter is, he's here, and we're going to have to work with him _being_ here, whether you like it or not!" He snorted. "And, I don't know what scenario your mind has created, but there is nothing going on between him and me. Grow up."

"So then why do you talk to him? You know he's a bad man, whether he's involved in this case or not."

"I don't owe you an explanation for anything!"

"And you're being overly hostile, too. You're never like this. What's the matter with you? You feel darker to me." The teen eyed him suspiciously.

"Maybe I've just decided that I've had enough of listening to a bossy, bratty, opinionated _kid_ criticize me for everything I do that doesn't match his thinking," Tsuzuki replied, literally biting the edge of his cheek to keep from lashing out with some sort of nasty remark.

"Oh that's cute." The teen levelled a gaze at him. "How much actual work have you done, Tsuzuki? Two hours? One hour? Five minutes?" He snorted contemptuously. "Yeah, five minutes sounds too high, too. You know, your reputation at the Ministry is well deserved. You are a pathetic slacker. But, you just sit there, enjoy your toast points, or whatever the hell it was you ordered, and I'll go do all the work, like usual. I'll see you at dinner. Bastard." Not waiting for the other to respond, he stormed off, violently pushing open the French doors that led to the vineyard.

"So then go," Tsuzuki sneered after the retreating form, for the first time in their partnership actually glad to see the other leave.

* * *

The brunet sighed again as he looked at his watch for probably the tenth time in as many minutes. He was sitting at the bar, sipping a glass of Chianti, and waiting for Hisoka to show. Around two o'clock, he'd received a message from his partner telling him that he'd figured out what was going on, and to meet him back at the chalet at five o'clock so that they could discuss it. It was now quarter after five, and there was still no sign of the sandy-haired teen. He wasn't worried yet. The other had a habit of being chronically late, or just not showing up for things at all – a habit that irked the brunet, despite his own wayward habits. Toying with the stem of his wineglass, Tsuzuki made a silent promise to himself that if he hadn't seen the other by five-thirty, he would go and look for him. "So, how goes your investigation?" a voice purred sensually in his ear, and before he could catch himself, Tsuzuki loosed a soft groan, immediately launching into a phoney coughing fit.

Muraki chuckled as he sat beside Tsuzuki, his barstool excessively close to the other. "Much luck today?" he asked as he leaned forward slightly, not quite touching the other man, but leaving very little space in between them. Smiling, he glanced around the bar before meeting the deep amethyst. "Lose your pet?" he teased. "You really should keep him on a tighter leash. He has this rather bothersome habit of wandering off all the time."

Tsuzuki gave a surprised gasp at that. "Hisoka…do you know where he is?"

"Oh, I've seen him around here and there today," the doctor replied simply. "He really is the curious one. But you know what they say, ne? _Curiosity killed the cat._." A dark smile spread slowly across his features.

"Muraki, did you do something to Hisoka?" Tsuzuki asked, the impatience obvious in his voice.

"Ever?" Muraki smirked. "I think we both know that I have. He was such a good boy back then. Not so surly and belligerent, like he is now." He smiled as he adjusted his glasses and then looked over at the other man. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"Damn it, Muraki, just answer my question!" Tsuzuki stated, his jaw clenched slightly, his hands in slight fists on his thighs.

"My, you seem tense. How about that drink, ne?" He gestured to the bartender, and ordered a bottle of _Le Rénard D'Argent_ , along with two glasses. Seeing the look on Tsuzuki's face, he murmured softly, "I'm sure Hisoka's around here somewhere. I'm not his keeper, after all." He pushed a glass toward the shorter man, sipping on his own. "Yukio, one of the wait staff, informed me earlier that a rather attractive brunet with the most striking purple eyes had asked about this particular vintage today, and at breakfast no less. I knew it had to be you, and I'm quite pleased that you're partial to this. It's one I take great personal pride in." He waited until the brunet had finished his glass, and then refilled it. "You know, my offer to show you the process still stands, if you wish it." He grinned wolfishly as he spoke.

"I don't know…I mean, I like drinking it, but I find the process itself rather boring. Watching grape juice ferment isn't my idea of a good time," Tsuzuki replied honestly, his cheeks a little flushed from the alcohol.

"Oh, come now, Tsuzuki-san. Indulge me for a few minutes. I know it will be worth your while."

"Well…ok," the brunet agreed after a moment, and the doctor's grin widened.

"Excellent," Muraki replied as he filled Tsuzuki's glass again. As soon as the dark-haired Shinigami had finished, he leaned forward a little more, tracing down the brunet's heated cheek with his cool fingers, cupping it in his hand as he stared into the other's eyes. "You really are an exquisite creature, you know that? So beautiful." He closed the distance between them, pressing his mouth against Tsuzuki's, lightly flicking his tongue against the other's lips and giving an appreciative purr when the brunet relented and began to kiss him back. Muraki chuckled softly as he pulled away from the kiss and got to his feet. "Well, shall we?"

Silently, Tsuzuki slid off his bar stool, wavering slightly and grasping lightly to the doctor's coat. "But, what if Hisoka comes?"

"Hn…Trust me. He's not coming."

"W-what? But you said that you didn't know where he was!"

"I said no such thing," Muraki countered as he took Tsuzuki's hand in his, twining their fingers and drawing him close against his side to support him. "I told you already that I'd seen him. In fact, I have a feeling he'll be a part of the tour."

"Muraki, if you've hurt him, I'll…I'll…" Tsuzuki trailed off, unsure of how to finish his threat.

"You'll what, Love? Thank me?" The doctor chuckled. "You're far better off without him anyway, my beautiful Tsuzuki, my dark angel." He led him deep into the winery, and down a spiral staircase at the back of the room. In the basement, there were a half-dozen large kegs. Four were full and sealed, one was full and still being developed. The last was empty. "This is where we make our award winning vintages. You do know that I got into this venture because of you, ne?" He grinned darkly at the confused look on the brunet's face. "Oh, this is too precious," he began, and then said, "I know that you have a rather distinguished taste for alcohol, red wine being one of your favourites. My goal was to create a wine worthy of your name. I couldn't very well put your actual name on the bottle, so I had the winery named after you. _'L'Ange Noir'_. A very crude translation of 'Dark Angel'. And the product of my endeavours? _'Le Rénard D'Argent'_ \-- Silver Fox." He smirked and gave his own platinum blonde hair a sultry shake. "Clever, aren't I?"

"But…I don't understand." The amethyst eyes were glassy from the alcohol and covered by a fog of confusion. "Why did you take Hisoka? And the other employees…did you take them, too?"

At the question, Muraki laughed delightedly. "I told you last night that this particular wine uses a rather unique fermentation process. Our regular merlot ages for a year and then is bottled. The Rénard goes through an additional racking. These vats you see here, which make about a thousand bottles, are filled, and then it goes through an additional four months of fermentation. Would you care for a demonstration?" Not bothering to wait for an answer, he snapped a finger, and suddenly, a wet, slithering sound could be heard moving across the floor.

"What…is that?" Tsuzuki asked, sobering slightly at the sound.

Muraki pressed a finger against the brunet's lips, leaning down to purr in his ear, "Shh…just watch." He moved away from the shorter man and turned the lights up full, and then pointed to the catwalk over top of the vats.

Tsuzuki turned to see, and his eyes widened in shock. Up on the catwalk was Hisoka, his wrists and ankles bound to the railing, his mouth gagged. His chest had been stripped bare, and currently winding its way around the sandy-haired teen's body was a black worm, about fifteen feet long. Its head was topped by beady, black eyes, and a small, suction cup like mouth. A foot-long, white antenna rested on top of the head, the end consisting of a small ball about half an inch in diameter.

"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki yelled, making a move toward the incapacitated teen, only to be stopped by the doctor. "Let me go!" he demanded, reaching for one of his fuda papers.

Muraki grabbed both of his wrists and spun him in his arms, holding the brunet's back against his chest, his arms crossed in front of him so that he couldn't move. "You don't want to do that," he murmured in the other's ear, his expression deadly serious. "It's too late for Hisoka anyway. See?" His eyes narrowed in sadistic pleasure when the worm wrapped around the teen, constricting slightly. Once it had the boy secure, the mouth suctioned to his chest, just to the right of his left nipple, over top of his heart.

The pain was intense, and Hisoka opened his mouth in a wordless cry. As soon as he did, the antenna lengthened and forced its way into his mouth and down his throat. A strangled groan escaped the boy, and then there was silence. Slowly, the worm began to change from black to red.

"No, please, stop it!" Tsuzuki begged, trying to struggle free of the doctor's grasp, tears running down his cheeks. "Please!"

"It will be ok," Muraki replied. "It's nearly over anyway. You are looking at a blood worm. Once its completely red, its finished feeding, and the victim will expire. Other than the initial shock when the antenna starts siphoning the blood, it really isn't that painful." He transferred both of the brunet's wrists into one of his hands, and with the other, he gently stroked the soft, dark tresses while nuzzling against Tsuzuki's neck. He waited until the antenna withdrew, and he smiled cruelly when the boy's body slumped lifelessly against the railing. "Now, for the process…You stay, ne?" he replied, pressing his index finger against the centre of Tsuzuki's forehead, and smirking when the other was, essentially, paralysed. Stepping away from the brunet, he moved off to the side where a rather elaborate glyph had been drawn on the floor.

As he stood in the centre of it, bright purple lightning rose up from the floor, arcing around the doctor and flickering across his body. Narrowing his eyes, he channelled some of his own energy into the lightning, and the flashes grew in brightness and intensity. The amount of charge was so great that Tsuzuki, who was twenty feet away, could feel the static discharge flickering at his hair. Muraki peered back at him from over his shoulder, and then with a dark smile, he turned to face the blood worm, a sinister laugh escaping him as he focused all the energy into one concentrated beam and aimed it at the creature.

It let out a high pitched whine, like the sound of a turbine, swelling to nearly twice its normal girth. As the electricity ran through it, the skin changed from the blood red it had been to a brilliant yellow. Suddenly, the whine turned into a growl, and the creature contracted, shrinking down to about three feet in length, and then falling over, obviously dead.

Pleased, Muraki climbed up onto the catwalk, picked up the worm, and threw it over the edge into the open vat. There was a brief flash of blue flame from the alcohol, and then everything was still once more. "People, for the most part, care about other people. Even the most cantankerous of individuals have at least one person they tolerate. That is what makes this such a potent spell. We desire what we like. So, adding that element to the wine makes it that much more addictive. As trite as it sounds, the secret ingredient is 'love'. Or, at the very least, it's 'like'." He crossed to the front of the vat and poured out a small sample of the wine and tasted it. "I believe that this will be the best batch yet," he replied. "And, likely the last of the Rénard line." He offered the glass to Tsuzuki to try. "It still needs another few months to age properly, but you can already see that it's far superior to the first batch."

Tsuzuki remained defiant for a few moments. He couldn't believe that the wine he had liked so much was made from human blood. Well, magically transformed human blood. The idea was blatantly nauseating, and yet at the same time, he was unable to stop thinking about how good it was, and how much he wanted to taste it – out of curiosity alone, if nothing else. He licked his lips and swallowed thickly, looking away.

The doctor chuckled. "I do enjoy you so much when you're blatantly obstinate," he stated before he took a sip of the wine. Holding it in his mouth, he roughly grasped Tsuzuki's chin, and kissed him harshly, allowing some of the smooth liquid to dribble onto his tongue.

The brunet tried to resist, tried to fight back, but at the first taste of that sweet elixir, he was powerless. Groaning wantonly, he kissed Muraki back, seeking out every drop. After a moment, he felt the fair-haired man pull away, and he whimpered softly.

"It's alright, Tsuzuki-san," Muraki replied with a smile as he stroked the other's cheek, releasing him from his paralysis. "I promise you that when this one gets bottled, you and I will meet for a glass to celebrate." He smirked. "I guess something good did come out of Hisoka after all," he continued with a chuckle as he glanced up at the catwalk. "Tell me, do you want to take his body back with you, or shall I feed him to one of my pets? That's where your other four are, in case you were curious. The one you did happen to find was a decoy for Konoe. And, like the trained monkey he is, he leapt for the proverbial banana."

"I'll take him with me," Tsuzuki replied quietly, torn between immeasurable rage and a strange admiration for the doctor. Only Muraki could turn death into something so wonderful. Something that was meant for humanity to actually _enjoy_. "What do you want me to tell Konoe?" he asked as he moved to collect the lifeless body. "You know that if I tell him the truth, this place will be shut down before you know it."

Muraki chuckled. "I'm sure you'll think of something, ne?"

* * *

Tsuzuki was moping around in his room back in Meifu. It had been a few months since Hisoka had been killed, and while Konoe and Tatsumi had been wonderful to him – they'd even given him time off _with_ pay – he couldn't help but feel sad for the loss of his partner. Granted, the kid had been a royal pain in the ass, but he'd connected with him. At least, he'd thought he had. He was pulled from his musing by a knock at his door. "What?" he mumbled.

Tatsumi poked his head in, a wide smile on his face. "You got a package," he said, his blue eyes twinkling.

On hearing that, Tsuzuki perked up some. "Oh yeah?" Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he sat up, and beckoned Tatsumi into the room.

The blue-eyed brunet grinned as he came in carrying a case of wine from _L'Ange Noir_. "It's some special reserve of theirs. They must have really been grateful for you for saving the winery from that rogue demon."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened at that, and he hurriedly opened the case, finding two dozen bottles and a single sheet of paper. Shaking it open, he read:

_Tsuzuki-san:_

_I was quite amused to hear you'd explained my actions as the work of a demon. Is there some hidden metaphor in there somewhere?_

_As you can see, your 'Special Reserve' is ready. It's exquisite, if I say so myself. Enjoy it in good health._

_I do still want to have that drink with you. Name the time and the place, and you know that I will be there._

_I look forward to seeing you in the near future._

_Yours,  
M._


End file.
